Ancestral spirit of the Pueblo Indians .
There are more than 500 of these spirits, who act as intermediaries between humans and the gods. Each tribe has its own kachinas, which are believed to reside with a tribe for half of each year. They can be seen by the community if men properly perform a ritual while wearing kachina masks. The spirit depicted on the mask is thought to be actually present with the performer, temporarily transforming him. Kachinas are also represented by small wooden dolls, carved and decorated by the men of the tribe.
Hopi kachina of laqán, or squirrel spirit, c. 1950; in the Museum of the ...
By courtesy of the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, New York City